UKIP LAUNCH VETERANS GROUP

UKIP is proud to announce the new UKIP Veterans group, recently launched by Deputy Leader, Mike Hookem MEP, at the UKIP NI conference in Belfast to our membership.

This special interest group is open to serving and former members of HM Forces (including those of UK overseas territories, such as the Falkland Islands Defence Force); serving and ex-police officers; other warranted members of the law enforcement community (HMRC, Border Force etc); Prison Officers; together with their families and dependents.

We hope to draw support and engagement from right across the extended veteran community and bring everyone from the myriad different groups together in one place to discuss the issues affecting our serving and ex-HM Forces personnel and their families, to help us to formulate policy and bring pressure on Westminster to properly deal with these issues, something which none of the legacy parties has shown any real interest in doing.

The mission statement for UKIP veterans reads:

We will create a group within UKIP, an established political party, for serving personnel and veterans, serving and former police officers, prison officers and members of the security services, that will provide a platform for making their voices heard and where they can discuss political and social issues amongst their own peer group, without prejudice.

UKIP Veterans group will provide a means for UKIP to draw upon the vast wealth of experience and knowledge held by our service and law enforcement personnel to guide and help shape UKIP defence and law & order policies.

We will provide a further strand of support for our veterans and, where we are able, help direct appropriate assistance to those in need.

We will Promote awareness amongst the defence community of UKIP’s policy pledges to honour the military covenant and of UKIP’s defence policies.

Promote awareness amongst the law enforcement communities of UKIP’s policy with regard to policing and other law enforcement issues, including welfare.

Provide a means for UKIP as a party to show support for and solidarity with those who volunteer and are prepared to risk all in order to keep us safe.

Provide a means for UKIP to quickly identify and highlight injustices and failings in government policy with regard to the defence and law enforcement communities.

Britain’s veterans today face a range of issues that must be tackled, including problems with the implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant; the ticking timebomb of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the spectre of homelessness to name but a few.

In 2017, UKIP’s deputy leader, Mike Hookem MEP, made a short documentary on homelessness in the veterans community which examined many of the problems above.

If you are a veteran, please contact us on 01903 885573 or on john.wallace@ukip.org.